Scale-fastening for pocket-knives.



A. L. ORCHARD. TENING FOB. POGKET KNIVES. OATION nun 00123, 1909.

SCALE ms Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

v lmwm 072mm? I I v a M q UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. ORCHARD, 0F LITTLE VALLEY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 CASE BROTHERS CUTLERY 00., 01? LITTLE VALLEY, NEW YORK.

SCALE-FASTENING FOR POCKET-KNIVES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR L. ORCHARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Valley, in the county of Cattaraugus and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Scale-Fastening for Pocket- Knives, of which the following is a specification.

It is the object of this invention to provide a novel means whereby fragile handle pieces, such, for instance, as those fashioned from pearl, may be assembled with the handle of a pocket knife, without endangering the handle piece.

The invention aims, moreover, to provide, in a pocket knife, a single retaining element, adapted, at once, to serve as a means for retaining the handle piece in place, and as a mounting for the blade of the knife.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the bolster scale, that the same will hold the handle piece in place, previous to the insertion of the retaining element already referred to.

WVith these and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in that portion of this instrument wherein patentable novelty is claimed for the device, it being understood, that, within the scope of what hereinafter thus is claimed, divers changes in the form, pro mrtions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to denote corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pocketknife constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan thereof; Fig.

3 is a fragmental longitudinal section; Fig.

4 is a detail perspective of one end of the handle piece; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of one of the bolster scales and the handle piece; Fig. 6 is a top plan of one of the bolster scales; and. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the bolster-scale.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the bolster scales of the knife, and, since both of these scales are identical, the description will be confined to one of them.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 23, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 524,228.

The bolster scale 1 is provided, at its end, with caps 2, the adjacent end faces of which are inclined, as denoted by the numeral 3, so that the adjacent ends of the caps 2 are undercut.

A handle-piece 1 is provided, the ends of which are bevelechas denoted by the numeral 5, and these beveled ends 5 are adapted to be inserted beneath the overhanging, adjacent ends of the caps 2. The ends of the handle piece 4 are provided with notches 6.

In each of the caps 1,there is a transverse opening 7 having a portion 8 of its side wall intersected by the inclined face 3 of the cap, the periphery of the opening 7 being intersected adjacent the bolster scale, as denoted by the numeral 9.

A retaining member 10 is provided, adapted to fit closely in the opening 7, the retaining member registering in the notch 6, and constituting a means for holding the handle-piece 4 in place. This retaining member 10 is extended entirely through the knife, to engage the cap upon the opposite side thereof, and serves as a pivotal mounting for the blade 11 of the knife.

The bolster scale 1 is transversely flexed, as denoted by the numeral 12, throughout a portion of its length, say, between the lines A-B and C-l) of l ig. 1, and this bending of the bolster scale, causes the longitudinal edges of the bolster scale to bear yieldingly against the handle-piece i, the portion of the longitudinal edge of the bolster scale, which is operative to this end, being denoted by the numeral 13.

It is to be noted that the retaining element 10 which holds the handle-piece 1 in place, serves, at the same time, as a pivotal mounting for the blade 11 of the knife. By this construction, the cost of the device is lessened, and, at the same time, each end of the knife is pierced by a single opening, thus improving the general appearance of the article, and it may profitably be noted, at this point, that the handle-piece of the knife is imperforate, which fact further improves the general appearance of the instrumcnt.

Owing to the transverse bending of the bolster scale 1, as shown at 12, the longitudinal edges of the bolster scale are adapted to bear yieldingly in the handle-piece 4. This construction, together with the fact are undercut upon their adjacent ends, serves to hold the handle-piece a in place, temporarily, before the retaining members 10 are inserted. It is well known and common in the art, that the bolster scales 1 are commonly fashioned from light brass, and this. fact, together with the further fact that the transverse curvature 12 of the bolster scale is slight, will cause both scales to engage the handle with sufficient friction only, to hold the handle-piece in place, there being no danger of the bolster scale 1 through its engagement with the handlepiece 4, breaking the latter, the bolster scale 1 flattening out when the handle-piece 1s in place, as shown in Fig. 5.

It is considered noteworthy, that the inclined face 3 does not cut entirely through the opening 7 in which the retaining member 10 is mounted. By this construction, the retaining member 10, throughout its length, and for approximately one-half of its transverse section, is mounted in the cap 2. By this construction the retaining member is rendered sufficiently rigid so that the same cannot be moved, when the blade 11 is opened or closed, it being the intention to expose beyond the face 3, only so much of the retaining member 10 as is necessary to engage and to hold in place, the handle piece 4.

By the construction last above described, the handle-piece 4 is held firmly in place, Without in any way impairing the utility of the retaining member 10, as a means for mounting the blade 11 of the knife.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a means for securing the handle-piece of a knife in place, without danger of fracturing the same in the process of manufacture, and, at the same time, improved the general appearance of the knife. a consideration of importance, in pocketknives of the particular type disclosed in this application.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a bolster-scale; caps located at the ends of the bolster-scale and undercut at their adjacent ends; and a handle inserted between the undercut portions of the caps; the bolster-scale being transversely flexed throughout a portion of'its length, to cause its longitudinal edges to bear yieldingly against the handle.

that the caps 2 2. A device of the class described comprising a bolster-scale; caps located at the ends of the bolster-scale and having their adjacent end faces inclined to undercut the ends of the caps; a handle-piece having its ends'beveled to fit the undercut ends of the caps, there being a notch in the end of the handle-piece; a retaining member transends of the caps; a handle-piece having its ends beveled to fit the undercut ends of the caps, there being a notch in the end of the handle-piece; there being a transverse opening in one of the caps, having a portion of its side wall, and a portion of its periphery adjacent the bolster-scale, intersected by the inclined face of the cap; a retaining member arranged to fit closely in the opening and in engagement with the notch, the retaining member being prolonged beyond the bolsterscale; and a blade pivotally mounted on the retaining member.

1. A device of the class described comprising a bolsterscale; caps located at the ends of the bolster-scale, and having their adjacent end faces inclined to undercut the ends of the caps; a handle-piece having its ends beveled to fit the undercut ends of the caps, there being a notch in the end. of the handle-piece; there being a transverse opening in one of the caps, having a portion of its side wall, and a portion of its periphery adjacent the bolster-scale, intersected by the inclined face of the cap; a retaining member arranged to fit closely in the opening and in engagement with the notch; the bolster-scale being transversely flexed throughout a portion of its length to cause its longitudinal edges to bear yieldingly against the handle-- plece.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR L. ORCHARD.

Witnesses MARION J. R1011,

DEAN J. CASE. 

